Another start
by The sleepless ghostly being
Summary: The day the San Francisco treaty was signed, he just don't know how could things ever be the same, yet they strangely, somehow, could. AsaKiku. Written in honour for the 8th September, the day the San Francisco treaty was signed. Could be consider as the continuation of The fall of our alliance.


"Japan surrendered."

How shameful, being relieved by hearing such words.

However, war cause nothing but grief, bloodshed, and heartache. After thousands of years, he knew it to the heart, but nothing can stop war if it had started, nothing but the opposing party perish. He looked down at his bandaged torso and leg, and knew immediately, he - the whole country - can't go on for long until everything crumble to pieces. Especially with this economy and damage did to his country. _Especially to Hiroshima and Nagasaki._

It might've been his fault in the first place, letting anger get the best of him and agreeing with the generals to launch a surprise attack at the American harbor nearby in the Pacific ocean, the Pearl harbor. He's rather proud about the attacks they managed to got covered, but still, it cause more negative effects rather than positive. Like what admiral Yamamoto-san had said, it seems like they had awoken a sleeping tiger rather than the expecting good news.

He turned the Europe-Asia war into a worldwide war in the span of one night. He had created a threatening enemy, not opposing himself only, but Axis, too. Yet, Germany and Italy forgave him and also declared war on America alongside him. They were good friends. _Were_.

He can never look at them in the eye now with the shame and guilt he had created himself.

They might've won, if America didn't step in. The Allies rejoice at the news, while the Axis sulked. The war after that started going haywire. But one of the most cruel thing that signals the end of the war was the damage did to Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the bomb took thousands of lives, clearing the land as far as eyes can see into masses of useless rubber and hardened molten metal structure poking out from the ground. Even without the attack, Japan is still going to surrender, no one can't keep going anymore, there's no need to use this - _this barbaric tactic._

He knew. It was in the name of forcing Japan to surrender, but everyone already knew Japan was going to surrender without the damage anyway. He had heard it, he was used as a test subject to see the damage of the atomic bomb, and to threatened the Soviets after all the Communism chaos after that. He would've scoff at the ridiculousness of it, if not for the devastating results did to him.

Both of his heavily populated city, wipe clean from the surface of earth within minutes. That alone was saying something. But he won't fret, he lost so much already, that he may as well stay quiet, it's pointless trying to ask for equality from the opposing party when all they aimed is destroying your whole being and soul with immense hatred. At least, somehow they can prevent an Anglo-Japanese war from happening. That's one of the best thing left in this war. A battle with a former close ally would kill his heart.

If he were to blame anything, the certain target would be America. How he truly despise America, since how they forced him to open his country. How they created impact after impact that changes the world greatly. How justified they think they were. How they snatched his love away from his own grasps.

 _But what can he do?_

No matter how he wracked his brain, nothing came up, nothing but a few hopeless tears along with a face of one Englishman.

* * *

Today is the day the treaty with Japan is going to be sign. For Japan to be acknowledge as criminal of the war. How disgraceful.

There are lots of countries and people attending the signing of San Fransisco treaty, too much people for his own liking. He wished he could curl into a ball and find a place to drop all these heavy burden and shame of him, but a wish is merely a wish. A childish wish.

With a shaky breathe, along with his higher ranks, he pushed the grand doors that leads to the entrance of the room that will be were the treaty will be sign. It moved with a loud, thundering creak, which rang out throughout the hallway. When his higher ranks all went in, he followed with fearful hesitance. Just a mere step inside the room choked him and froze him in place.

Not expecting the tense atmosphere inside, he could literally felt the air in his lungs being restricted in shock, and felt fear slowly creeping up his spine. But he hold his ground, swallowing, and forced his legs to move forward, ignoring the eyes all around him, following his higher ranks. As an effort to try to calm his erratic mind down, he looked at the place where inspectors and witnesses were seated, to his luck, his tired amber-brown eyes met those ever so cranky green eyes, ones of who he was afraid to see since when the war sparked.

Emotions overwhelmed him; regret, pain, longing, hurt, and many other feelings that he can't pinpoint from the hazy jumble inside his chest. But in those eyes, those luring green eyes he yearned for, still held the same kind and loving gleam behind a cranky mask like those many years ago. He don't deserve it, the kindness, the affection. A person like him, he shouldn't receive it, he was the bad guy here, no, he _is_. He looked away as shame clouded his vision, missing the grim look from the said beloved.

They motioned his higher rank and him to sit. He did, hollowly. And droned out all voices and sounds, for the sake of his sanity. He was lost at what to do. Should he make everything right, or let time do the job? If he were to let time correct all the wrongdoings itself, he may as well commit seppuku in the meanwhile. But if he were to correct it himself, he felt as if he'd broken down under all the shame and disappointment. Yet still, everything felt so unrreal. _Strangely distant._

He could felt those very same green gaze boring holes into his back, chilling him even further. And perhaps, more gazes than said ones. He awkwardly shifted at the supposed attention. He has to be calm and composed, he reminded himself. He tried to closed his eyes, to block out everything, yet the somewhat nauseous sensation don't go away, persistently clinging to what consciousness it could. He forced his eyes shut in the end, and hope it'll all go away in one swoosh like those wild waves one his country shores. However, he suddenly recalled, it's new moon tonight.

* * *

A long time had passed, so do chains of events, from declaring Japan's war crimes, to signing the treaty. _The San Francisco treaty._ World war II is now really, truly, officially going to end. That knowledge lifted a slight weight off his shoulders, at least no more innocent lives is going to be taken now.

As he and his higher ranks were exiting the room, he can't help but let his mind wandered back to the Englishmen. He wondered would the man be angry with him, or sad, or disappoint, or - _if he dared think_ \- happy? Whatever it might be, would their relationship remain the same, or would it never be the same ever again? Would he - _that's a coward and ugly thought, but_ \- left him for America, someone who he could relate to, rather than someone far east halfway across the globe?

Maybe that's why nations were never meant to fall in love. It could hinder them greatly, and even more so if there's war. Unfortunately, he's one of the unlucky victims, it seems. Even unluckier when he fell in love with the gentlemanly Englishman. At least it will probably end now, hurting as it might be, it's for his own good. Yes, it's for his own good...he suppose.

Just when he was being resolute and attempted his best to accept it, he was yanked sideways by a strong grip of hand, into another hallway that leads to nowhere to his knowledge, he can't see the offender because of the black hoodie he/she was weaing. His higher ranks and flow of people did not even turn their heads to his direction. He paled, the worst scenario quickly came to his mind.

He tried to shout, when another hand covered his mouth, preventing him from making any noise but humming and mumbling. They turned a corner, now the swarm of people were out of his sight, to his panic, he writhed. He was about to bite the offender's hand when he was released. Whirling around, his hand curled hard into a fist, preparing to launch to the face of - the personification of England.

He tumbled back in surprise. England also seemed equally startled, but somehow managed to keep both of them on their feet, catching him in time in his arms. He blinked, a strange warmness he didn't felt in a long time rushing to his cheeks. So do were England's, he noticed with strange giddiness. He hasn't change at all. But then the pang of sadness then returned to him, for the realization that things were not the same, he wriggled out of England's arms.

Awkwardness settled down between as he looked down, England gazing at him forlornly, but then it disappeared within second. "Well, how are you...after all the war?" England was the first to spoke, but his voice was nothing like he expected, it was still warm, like what it used to be. Yet he refused to speak, meeting his gaze for a only a fleeting second.

England sighed, he slowly extended his hand, softly touching his hand. He flinched and withdrew his hand, to England's shock and concern. This time he grasped his hands swiftly, caressing it with gentle but firm touches, something he longed for ages. He slowly could felt hot tears gathering at his eyes, threatening to fall at the slightest of movements.

Impulsively, he threw his head up and faced England, and immediately regret it. It was painful to see such a face could held so much hope and trust after such a devastating war. He wanted to speak, say something, anything, to assure that he still has feelings for him, he still loves him, that nothing will go wrong again, but his throat just went dried, and so does his mind.

Just then, he realized, everything felt so real. _So vivid._ Tears rolled down his cheeks, but he hardly feel it, instead, he gripped on those calloused palms tighter. A quiet sob escaped his lips unintentionally when he tried to speak. That's when England snapped, lunging forward and pulling him into his arms. The pair of arms he yearned, he was in them again. Perhaps that cause his self-control to collapsed down like a dam that can't hold anymore water, and he gave in to sobbing on England's shoulder.

They stayed like that for a long, long time, silently without a sound except for their own mingling breathings and his muffled sobbing, with England's hand caressing his back in soothing circles. He nuzzled into England's neck softly, feeling it comforted him little by little. Time continued to pass, and after a while when his sobbing ceased, they started to talked a bit, but still holding on to each other dearly.

He don't know how or when did fatigue of the whole day caught up with him, but when he realized that he was feeling rather sleepy, outside was rather already dark for his drowsy eyes. England seems to notice this for that he tugged his hands softly. "Japan, you're really sleepy, huh? My hotel is nearby, you can sleep there for the night" He nodded, mumbling incoherently quietly. England smiled endearingly as he spoke again. "I think you'll need a piggyback ride, don't you?" With that, he hauled said drowsy man up with ease and onto his back. He wanted to protest and decline the offer, he really did, but he figured it out that he was too sleepy to care and sleeping on England's back was rather luring, so he just mumbled another incoherent reply of his, to England's delight.

Today they may not solve much problems, but at least, nothing between them changes. He supposed stressful things could come maybe later, just, maybe he'll take a day off today, just to recover and let out all the pent up frustrations and emotions, so maybe, things will return the same just when they used too. It'll probably passes, just like tonight's new moon, it'll be a full moon eventually, just, calm down and breathe, he supposed.

* * *

 **A/n:** Hey! Sleepyghosty here! I Never guess I'll write a second one-shot this soon, but well, the date just forced me too, because - in my timezone, even thought it's quite late to be honest - it's the 8th September, the day the San Francisco treaty was sign at the war memorial opera house. It might not seems very, well, revelant to _The fall of our alliance,_ but I planned on writing both based on historic events. Which while the termination of the Anglo-Japanese aliiance was very related to England and Japan, the signing of San Francisco treaty was rather about Japan alone, but I just can't resist it and there we go. Now, I'll explain things that might be confusing.

New moon = low tides = almost no waves/weak waves. But if I got anything wrong please correct me.

America bombing Japan \- I'd say this is quite a controversial topic, but I'll stick to this knowledge I have. From many sources I've read, they seems to pinpoint to the exact direction, that Japan will surrender soon, yet America bombed them to find an excuse to threaten Soviets, which will eventually lead to the cold war. Many might say Japan is a dictatorship or so, but please be reminded that this is based on Japan's PoV. Nobody in their right mind would view themselves as totally, absolutely wrong, at least with some excuse, which will lead to the next topic.

killing innocent lives \- Don't get me wrong, Japan was actually very aggressive during world wars, it's said that there're very few infomation about Japan's concentration camp is because of it's deadliness, five times the German, I believe. But nonetheless, Axis lost the war, and Japan was dismissed from the imperial power.

Japan hating America \- Based on a headcannon I have that Japan bitterly thought America took England away from him in the world war period. Just like how England was forced to choose between America and Japan at the end of Anglo-Japanese alliance.

Admiral Yamamoto Isoroku \- The admiral who planned the attack on Pearl harbor.

And I apologize for any mistakes I overlooked or how it seems rushed. I just, halfway throught writing the last past I just read a fluffly AsaKiku doujin and things started getting strange, so I have to cut it short. I probably will make an Omake, I guess, if I could, with the final test on the horizon I don't know how long could I kept going.

Well, that is all, thank you for reading. Follow or Favourite is greatly appreciate, and even more so with reviews, just to see where I should improve. If you only read it I'm still very happy that someone paid heeds to my humble story. Thank you and have a nice day/night!


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